This month at Melbourne Recital Centre, genres and time periods become a blur.
The beloved venue is challenging norms in May, bringing out musicians who specialise in making unlikely connections. These artists honour the history of their genres, while not being afraid to disrupt tradition and try new things.
Whether it’s blending Klezmer stylings with electronic details or taking on chamber music with modern zest and flair, the highlighted artists are big, bold and brilliant. Plus, this isn’t everything – Recital Centre has plenty more on offer this month, so make sure you check out the full calendar.
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
The Spooky Men’s Chorale – 25 Years of Pointless Grandeur
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- 3 May
- Tickets here
A cult favourite returns, bigger, beardier and more gloriously chaotic than ever. Hailing from the Blue Mountains, The Spooky Men’s Chorale are celebrating 25 years of deep harmonies, absurd humour and oddly moving moments that sneak up on you between the laughs. It’ll be joyful, musically impressive and surprisingly touching, offering a fresh take on masculinity and community.
Leonkoro Quartet
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- 4 May
- Tickets here
Straight from Berlin, rising stars the Leonkoro Quartet bring their signature precision, flair and musical chemistry. Their take on chamber music is tight, expressive and full of blink-and-you-miss-it details that reward close listening. For their Melbourne debut, they’ll take human expression across three centuries in a classy, high-energy and transcendent performance.
Joshua Moshe
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- 9 May
- Tickets here
Genre-bender Joshua Moshe brings a fresh, contemporary sound to Recital Centre, blending jazz and Jewish folk with a modern electronic edge. The award-winning saxophonist will be launching his debut album at this exclusive event, and fans will hear the eight-song collection performed in its entirety with an eight-piece ensemble.
CzechMate – Meeting at the Crossroads
- 15 May
- Tickets here
This cross-cultural showcase dives into Czech baroque traditions while weaving in global influences. Focusing on the wild and unpredictable music of composers from the 1600s, the result is a rich, layered performance that feels both rooted and exploratory, like a musical conversation across borders. Performers include Australian dulcian specialist Jane Gower, Czech violinist Helena Zemanová, Australian violinist Julia Fredersdorff, and Danish harpsichord maestro Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
The Others
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- 24 May
- Tickets here
This thrilling performance brings together four unlikely friends – a legendary jazz pianist, a multi-instrument virtuoso, an iconic didgeridoo player and a rock ‘n’ roll drummer – in a night of non-stop improv. Allow yourself to be swept up in the moment as Paul Grabowsky, James Morrison, Kram, and William Barton parry back and forth, creating something new with each note.
For everything on at Melbourne Recital Centre this month, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Melbourne Recital Centre.
